Daughter Of The Blood

Audiobook Review 

By: Anne Bishop

Narrated by: John Sharian

Published by: Penguin Audiobooks

 Warm

      Like its sequels, contains scenes and depictions that sensitive readers might find might objectionable.

The Black Jewels Trilogy, Book 1

16hrs and 57 mins

Sample

Seven hundred years ago, a Black Widow witch saw an ancient prophecy come to life in her dazzling web of dreams and visions.
Now the Dark Kingdom readies itself for the arrival of its Queen, a Witch who will wield more power than even the High Lord of Hell himself. But she is still young, still open to influence--and corruption.

Whoever controls the Queen controls the Darkness. Three men, sworn enemies, know this. And they know the power that hides behind the blue eyes of an innocent young girl. And so begins a ruthless game of politics and intrigue, magic and betrayal, where the weapons are hate and love--and the prize could be terrible beyond imagining.

 My thoughts

This is the first Novel on the Black Jewels trilogy, and wow! You don't listen to this book; you experience it with every emotion imaginable; hate, love, intrigue, disgust, sadness and anticipation. Welcome to a world full of emotional turmoil, but one that will leave you in awe at the imagination, originality, intelligence, character development and overall talent of Ann Bishop.

Revisiting this book (series) in audio was a fantastic way to catch the details that somehow I either missed or took for granted the first time around, I also enjoyed the different dimension that audio brought to this brilliant dark fantasy book (series).

Before I go any further, I have to warn you, do not read or listen to this book is you can’t handle being exposed to the worst of human nature, or if you are highly sensitive to rape scenes, war, strong sex scenes, child violence, pain and abuse. This is very dark world and  requires maturity to read it (listen).  After having said that, this is truly a terrific story of love, loyalty courage, and ultimately hope and one that will have your heart racing with every page read or listen to.

 Don’t get discourage if you don’t get into it right away. I have to admit, the world seems a little confusing and hard to follow at first, same as the characters names (or maybe it was just me...lol) but if you are a fan of dark fantasy, or you want to dabble in a new genre, I can assure you, you will love this book, and as much as this world seems full of very unpleasant and uncomfortable subjects, it doesn't condone them, it clearly defines the line between good and evil, you will have a clear vision of whom to root for.

Let yourself get caught in this web of incredibly engaging entertainment.

Below I have posted a very good and a more detailed review of the book. Remember, this is a trilogy and the story continues throughout the next two books.

4.02  stars based on 161 ratings on audible.com

Narration

 The narration in this book performed by John Sharian was brilliant. He expertly fleshed out this book,  and as much as I love reading it, I enjoyed it that much more in audio, he’s terrific with the tone of the story, he  truly makes you feel the darkness, suspense and the vial of the some of the scenes, he’s female voices were very adequate, but what I enjoyed the most was the way he conveyed the anguish, torment and sorrow, as well as the hope and the light among the darkness, he performed every character skillfully in a manner that let you really get to know them. He really makes you feel and live these books.  In the end, I've come to believe that an excellent narration of a book is when the reader becomes irrelevant and nonexistent, because you just get lost in the story.

The Author 
Anne Bishop

Other listeners opinion: 

"A must read series"

By Erin

You'll have to put aside any Western Judeo/Christian meanings for the names of the characters and be open to the idea that humanoids are not the only intelligent, feeling race.
This first book is very dark and sick making and ends on an unresolved note. You could skip this one and start with the second book, but I wouldn't. You'll miss some important backstory.
It is a story of love that echoes how we really go thru ups and downs weaving thru a good vs. evil fight that may keep you awake way past bedtime.
This entire series is one of the best I have. I have the physical books also. I am currenly waiting (im)patiently for Audible to get the rest of the series so I can buy them.

"Most excellent!"

By Rachel

This is a terrific book and excellent beginning to a series. I have waited impatiently for it to come out on audio for the longest time. John Sharian does a phenomenal job on all the books by Anne Bishop. Listen to this one! It's GREAT!

"Wonderful series, superb narrator"

By Kathleen

I thoroughly enjoyed this. John Sharian is terrific. His narration is never intrusive or jarring. What a pleasure.

"Couldn't stand it"

By John

I've read so many fantasy series now, and with my long commute, that has moved towards listening instead of reading. In an audiobook, if the narration is bad, the audiobook is painful to go through... in this cause, the reader sounds juvenile. Instead of using a mysterious voice, Mr Sharian sounds like he is "trying" to be mysterious... not once did I get into a character with him. On top of that, the story was different than most, but that doesn't mean it was good. George RR Martin, Robin Hobb, Robert Jordan, Joe Abercrombie, Stephen R Donaldson... they know what they are doing for characters, and they all have excellent narrators. I wouldn't listen to this again if I was paid. Worst audiobook I've purchased so far.

For a more detailed review visit:

For other books in this series and listening order

click here

Halfway To The Grave

Audiobook Review

By: Jeaniene Frost

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

Published by:  Blackstone Audio. 

Hot

Night Huntress Series,  Book 1
11hrs and 17mins

Sample

 

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unlikely partnership.

In exchange for help finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner…are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon, Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side...and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

My Thoughts

This is the first installment of the Night Huntress series and a great introduction to a new spin on the vampire hunter theme and one worth investing yourself in, you will not be disappointed especially if you are a fan of Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs or Ilona Andrews.

I’ve read this a few years back before I listened to it on audio; these audio books were just published in 2010. This series contains five books with the next installment, One Grave at the Time; scheduled for released on August 30, 2011.

In Halfway to the Grave, we meet Catherine Crawfield, Cat for short, a half human half vampire, who was born from a not so pleasant union between her human mother and a vampire.

Cat grew up feeling something about her was very wrong and different, she had certain abilities that weren’t quite human, this forced her to live a very lonely existence, when she finally finds out the truth about her origin she starts spending every night in bars hunting vampires, this not only helps her satisfy her mother need for vengeance, but it also helps her feel better about the evil half she believes to possess.

 Cat keeps living a very solitary existence, until she meets Bones, a 200 year old English vampire bounty hunter and a much more experienced one. Bones has worldly air about him that makes him a very attractive sultry and an exceptionally interesting character.

Bones proposes an alluring alliance to Cat, and when she finds herself very attracted to this undead sexy bloodsucker she struggles with her core beliefs of good and evil.

 Cat sounded a little whiny at times; this made it a little harder for me to like her right from the get-go, but this didn’t take anything away from the enjoyment of the book, in fact, by the end I found myself to be vastly invested in Cat’s character, and very much looking forward to the next installment.

This is not a straightforward Urban Fantasy, I find it close to a Paranormal Romance genre, all the same, this book is extremely engaging and entertaining,well written with very fascinating characters, plus all the elements that you expect to find in these genres are definitely present; suspense, action packed from the very start, hot- sexy scenes, a sexy alpha lead, a kick ass heroine and a sweet romance story.
4.25  stars, based on 1432 ratings on audible.com

Narration

Despite the expertly and right on target execution by Tavia Gilbert, I’m unable to give this audio book an excellent rating, the performance of Bone’s voice left me very disappointed, she gave him a Cockney accent that didn’t match at all the character’s personality; he didn’t sound anything like I expected, I felt it was missing the self confidence, masculinity and definitely the sexiness. Bones is a terrific character, and one of the biggest attractions of the book and I hated that he sounded a bit whiny, don’t get me wrong, I know he shouldn’t have sounded like an English noble, but I definitely expected more self assurance in his tone.
I have to add that she did an excellent job with the rest of the voices, especially with Cat, I found her a lot more likable and sympathetic, the tone and delivery of the story was flawless, and I just wish somebody had told her NO! That’s not how Bones is supposed to sound like! And if that’s the way his voice was intended to sound, I liked it so much better the way I imagined it.
This is my first audio book by Tavia Gilbert, and I can tell she’s an excellent narrator, I will listen to One grave At the Time on audio, maybe I won’t find Bone’s voice as annoying this time.
On the other hand if you never read the book you might not mind so much the way Bones sounds, it’s easier to accept and believe the voices when you don’t have a preconceived notion of what the characters should sound like, you should be able to enjoy to the max this terrific and outstanding Urban Fantasy, as you can see from the ratings, it has been widely enjoyed.

The Author
Jeaniene Frost

Voices behind the books

Tavia Gilbert

For a more detail review visit:

For other books in this series and reading/listening order

Click here

Reckless

Audiobook Review

By: Anne Stuart

Narrated by: Susan Ericksen

Published by Tantor Media

Burning

House Of Rohan Book 2
10hrs and 30mins

Sample

Adrian Alistair Rohan lost his faith, and now, a dedicated member of the depraved Heavenly Host, he loses himself in his only pleasure: the seduction and debauchery of beautiful women. Rich, charming, and devastatingly skilled in the arts of love, he never fails in his conquests… until Charlotte Spenser.

Charlotte is facing a desolate, passionless future, none of which matters to Adrian, who imagines her a toy until better prey arrives. But beneath her drab exterior, Charlotte is a woman as enchanting as she is brilliant, and, lured into Adrian's world, she soon becomes the seducer and he the seduced.

My thoughts

This is the second entry to the series House of Roham, and it continues with the story of Francis and Elinor’s second son Adrian Rohan, and as we can see the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Adrian Rohan is following in his father’s old footsteps, enjoying his bachelors life as a rich, arrogant, and debauched male, until he meets Charlotte, a proper and modest spinster at a mansion where parties/orgies are conducted. Adrian is tired, and a bit bored with his typical women (beautiful and experienced), so he finds himself to be lusting after Charlotte, who has been in love with him for the last three years, but someone he never thought he could develop feelings for.... oh! But he does!
With this, we get the typical story of the seducer being seduced; this plot it’s been done so many times that I found myself very surprised at my level of my enjoyment, Adrian and Charlotte’s mockery is fun to listen to, each character is strong enough to hold their own appealing details, and maybe is just the way Anne Stuart knows how to get you in her character’s head or the way she manages to match the most unlikely people.
The secondary romance between Lina, Charlotte’s beautiful cousin and a Vicar, was unexpected and very good.
The sex scenes are greatly more graphic than the previous book, but it doesn’t feel as dark, (I myself prefer a little darkness) so if you don't expect a groundbreaking novel and just want to spend a few hours lost in fantasy, romance, hot passion a little of angst, a little bit of naughtiness, and a well written Romance, then you will positively enjoy this book.
I think I would have liked this installment a lot more, had I had listened to a few different books in between this one and Ruthless, so I don’t recommend listening back to back, to me these books are much more appreciated in small doses.

4.32 stars based on 63 ratings on audible.com

Narration

I truly believe a narrator can destroy a good book or can make an Ok book into an incredible listen; it never was more the case than with the performance by Susan Erickesen with these novels, she definitely brings these books to a higher level, she is just perfect, her clean British accent gives the story the right feel and, oh wow! The way she brings the sensuality to life is just brilliant!! you can truly feel the sizzle between Adrian and Charlotte, the distinctions in the voices is very clear, and she’s a pro at delivering the wit and humor of the dialogue. 

All in all this is another fantastic read by Susan Ericksen

About the Author

For a more detail review of the plot visit: 

For other books in this series and listening order 
Click here

Magic Slays

Audiobook Review

By: Ilona Andrews

Narrated by: Renèe Raudman
Published by: Tantor Media 06/2011

Check-in on GetGlue
Warm

Kate Daniels, Book  5
13hrs and 17mins

Sample

Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.


Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be—now that the Order is disparaging her good name, and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate.
So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it—fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price.

  

My Thoughts

Can a series get any better?? The consistency that Ilona Andrews continues to display is just amazing!! As much I was dying to read this book I made the decision to wait until the audio version was available for download, and as the reviews were coming in, my expectations grew higher and higher, and I thought for a moment that I was setting myself up for disappointment, but Oh!! No!! This was better, so much better than what I expected.
I hope that if you are reading this review you have already read /listened to the previous books in this series, if not, please stop! The most important part of the enjoyment of this series it’s having gone through the growth, developments and the advances that had made this ride so gripping and exhilarating, getting on this bus at this point would just cheat you out of all the excitement and the thrills that can make you truly appreciate this fantastic series.
After I was left so satisfied with Magic Burns, I really had my doubts as to how this series was going to continue to feel fresh, especially after Kate and Curran had become a couple, a big part of the enjoyment I got from this series was the sexual tension between the protagonists; but wow!! No disappointment here, I love Kate and Curran’s relationship, their moments together are amazing, full of humor, loyalty and tenderness that give this dark and creepy world a side of lightness and humor that brings in the perfect balance. The plot moves a little slow at first but the last quater is full suspense and heart stopping action that barely lets you come out for breath, the world building continues to be amazing, the character’s growth it’s at its best as more of Kate’s background is revealed, and of course we still get new creepy creatures and the formidable descriptions characteristic of this talented team of authors.
The ending was downright terrific and sets the drama for the next installment and one that I’m already looking forward to.

 4.96 stars based on 51 ratings on audible.com

Narration

Renèe Raudman is fantastic, she really knows how to convey the suspense, excitement, humor and overall feeling of these books. I felt completely and utterly transported to this dark and creepy world, she does a terrific job with all the characters, she has kept a remarkable consistency through the entire series with each character, she delivers more than their voices, she has fleshed out their personality. Curran’s voiced is performed with a raspy quality to it- one that conveys his strength, decisiveness and warmth. Kate’s voice transmits her likability and self doubt as well as her stubbornness that make the clashes with Curran so enjoyable, but the most impressive part is the way she reads the suspense scenes, she’ll have you holding your breath till the very end, in conclusion this is a terrific match of author and narrator that brings you an incredible, engaging and enjoyable listen.

Authors 

Voices behind the books

Renèe Raudman

For other books in this series and listening order

Click here

Ruthless

Audiobook Review

By: Anne Stuart

Narrated by: Susan Ericksen

Hot

House Of Rohan   Book  1

11hrs and 59mins

Sample

Few outsiders will ever witness the dark misdeeds of the Heavenly Host. And among this secret society, where exiled Georgian aristocrats gather to indulge their carnal desires, fewer still can match the insatiable appetite of their chief provocateur, the mysterious Viscount Rohan.

Pursuit of physical pleasure is both his preferred pastime and his most pressing urge, until he encounters the fascination of a woman who won't be swayed. And while his dark seduction appalls the pure and impoverished Elinor Harriman, she finds herself intrigued…and secretly drawn to the man behind the desire.

My Thoughts

I didn’t know what to expect when I downloaded this book; going by the cover I had an idea that it was a Historical Romance. I took a chance on a new author (to me) and it paid off; she’s absolutely going into my favorite's category.

I put this book on the back burner while I listen to some of the books I’ve read reviews about, when I finally started listening to it, I didn’t stop, this book is wonderful, engaging and emotionally moving a good way and a bad way, the author's ability to describe the scenes is incredible, I felt the disgust, dislike and repulsion of the dark world you get introduced to at the beginning of the book.

Elinor and her sister Lydia find themselves living in the slums of Paris in a deplorable condition, and suffering  economic hard times, all brought by their mother’s  awful behavior, who once was a beautiful woman, but now is nothing more than an alcohol and gambling addict and on the verge of death from the Spanish disease.

On an occasion that their mother disappears, Elinor sets off to go after her, and knowing where the most likely place she would find her, goes to Heavenly Host, a place where a self indulgent group of aristocrats meets to revel in the orgiastic delights and wild pleasures, and definitely not a place for a young and uncorrupted girl.  While in there, she gets discovered, and brought to the attention of the host; Lord Francis Roham, who gets immediately  charmed and enchanted by Elinor, who’s not necessarily a beauty, but possesses a strong personality  and a wicked  tongue.

She treats him in a prideful and in a condescending way that does nothing but arouse his interest and he finds her fascinating, especially that lately he has grown bored with all the women and orgies at his disposal.

I was utterly amazed at the author’s talent that took an insidious, cynical, seedy and depraved hero; one that made my skin crawled, and turned him into a beloved character and the kind a man that you would want for yourself.

There are small elements of mystery and suspense, as well as a secondary romance, but it doesn’t take the focus away from Francis and Elinor.

I loved the plot, while not terribly romantic, I did enjoyed the cat and mouse chase that Elinor and Francis engaged in for most of the book, and the only reason this book is not going on my favorite’s list, it’s because I wasn’t completely satisfied with the ending, there were a few loose ends; I felt as the author just “said” That’s all folks! Nevertheless I found the story totally engaging, it held my attention from beginning to end.

All in all, if you like dark, sexy romance with an “as close as it gets to an un-redeemable hero” then this is the book for you.

This was a great introduction to The House of Roham’s series, and as soon as I’m finished with Magic Slays (btw, it’s great) I’ll be moving to the next book; Reckless.

Narration

Susan Erickson is a pro! I have a strong feeling this is a much better book on audio, she’s an incredibly talented narrator, she really gets the books and the characters, her tone and pace are perfect, she reads the story in a way that makes you really live every scene, even tho. she doesn’t have a tremendous amount of distinctive voices for the characters, she still manages to deliver a great read, the distinctions come mostly from the manner the dialogue is read, she made Francis Roham sound just like the cynical character that he is, and the sharp and witty tone of Elinor was flawless.
Great narration!!

The Author

Anne Stuart

For a more detail review of the plot visit:

         

For other books in this series and reading/listening order

click here     

Voices behind the books 

Susan Ericksen

                     

Moon Called

Audiobook Review

By: Patricia Briggs

Narrated by: Lorelei king

Published by: Penguin Audiobooks 09/09

Check-in on GetGlue  
Warm

Mercy Thompson Book 1
9hrs and 14 mins

Sample

                                            

Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too.

Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself ... and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

My Thoughts

I first read and listened to the first few books of this series a few years back, now I just exclusively enjoy it on audio. I just did a re- listen of this book, a great introduction of the Mercedes (Mercy) Thompson’s series, one that holds a special place in my favorites.

Let me start by saying that Mercy, the heroine and the focus of these books is one of my favorite characters of all time, I only have three others that hold that position, and is all thanks to the incredible talent and ability of Patricia Briggs to create such credible, down to earth, authentic and honest characters.

In this installment, we get introduced to Mercy; she’s the daughter of a Blackfeet Indian and a white teenage mother. Mercy is a mechanic and a "walker"—a Native American shapeshifter who turns into a coyote, sees the spirits of the dead, and has an innate resistance to most magic (most supernatural beings).

 This absolutely should be categorized as an urban fantasy novel, where the romance is not the focus; nevertheless there are underlying hints of it to keep the romance reader/listener happy. The friendship dynamics in the book are some of the best parts.  I love the way Mercy manages to navigate the werewolf’s world that it’s portrayed as sexist, dangerous and full of politics and emerges as a kiss ass heroine without having to use an immense amount of supernatural powers but just a good dose of common sense.

 We also get to meet Adam the Alpha of the Tri-Cities werewolf pack. He lives next door to Mercy, with whom she has a playfully antagonistic relationship. (Remember the underlying romance plot I mention?) He's another fantastic creation of Mrs. Briggs.

 What makes this into a completely different take  on the supernatural world it’s that so often we get glamour by the wealth, jet set and the glitter regularly mention in this genre, but oh no! Not here! There are no Armani suits, extravagantly expensive cars or exceptionally good looking guys, (except for Adam! He’s yummy!!) But instead we get real, completely relatable, next- door kind of characters, and a plot full of action, mystery, politics and human emotions that turn this novel into a very convincing, engaging and entertaining listen.

The characters and the world development are brilliant, and it has to be to be able to pull it off without all the elements that keep people like me coming back.

I’ll be posting a link to a more detailed review of the book; I don’t want you to miss a better description of why this book is such a great read/listen.

If you love urban fantasy, I highly recommend this audiobook, and the entire series.

4.25 stars based on 1227 ratings on audible.com   

Narration

When I first listened to this audiobook I already had a very good idea in my mind of what Mercy should sound like, so I knew I was going to be critical of the narration, but what I never imagined was that Lorelei King would not only not disappoint,  but surpass my expectations. She's just fantastic with the first person narration in Moon Called. She read Mercy with the precise personality intended by Mrs Briggs. She conveyed the down to earth, strong, but humble attitude of Mercy, thus making her even more likable. 

She brought the characters and the world to life in a perfectly accurate way by staying faithful to the writing. She also does a good job with the male characters, with the exception of Ben, let’s just say her British accent wasn’t the best part of the narration, but the exceptional  job she does with Mercy  makes you overlook  Ben’s small parts.

I can honestly say that as much as I liked reading this book, I loved it so much more on audio.

The Author

Patricia Briggs

For a more detailed review of the plot visit:

 Video by LibyTheElf

            

        Voices behind the books     

 Lorelei King

         

For other books in this series and reading/listening order:

 click here